1) Does getting up from prone (consuming the 2" of movement) count as a "disengagement from melee" and permit a free attack if e.g. someone is stomping on you or wailing on you with a warhammer? It seems like it should do so realistically.

2) If the answer above is "no" (or even if it isn't, actually), is there then any added effect from a Push that knocks someone Prone, or an added effect on a Raise (such as the opponent being Shaken by the Push?) that prevents them getting up immediately? If not, it seems like it's nearly pointless to knock someone Prone as they can get up for free on their next action. So unless you let them act first and hope you get a better card next round or you really, really need to take away that 2" of movement you can't really take advantage of the -2 Parry and Fighting penalty. I assume one could Grapple, then Push, then wail away, but it still significantly diminishes the tactical value of a knockdown.

3) Just to ask for completeness, I'd assume if you're engaged in melee with a prone opponent and you withdraw, he would still get his attack (at a -2 of course)? Or are you no longer considered in melee if he's knocked Prone?

1) Does getting up from prone (consuming the 2" of movement) count as a "disengagement from melee" and permit a free attack if e.g. someone is stomping on you or wailing on you with a warhammer?

Nope. The rule pertains to withdrawing from close combat, not "disengagement from melee." As long as the character remains adjacent to their foe, they can move how they wish, including moving around them or just standing up.

shinryu wrote:

2) If the answer above is "no" (or even if it isn't, actually), is there then any added effect from a Push that knocks someone Prone, or an added effect on a Raise (such as the opponent being Shaken by the Push?) that prevents them getting up immediately? If not, it seems like it's nearly pointless to knock someone Prone as they can get up for free on their next action. So unless you let them act first and hope you get a better card next round or you really, really need to take away that 2" of movement you can't really take advantage of the -2 Parry and Fighting penalty. I assume one could Grapple, then Push, then wail away, but it still significantly diminishes the tactical value of a knockdown.

As long as that tactical value is solely based on benefiting the actions of the character performing it instead of perhaps pushing the opponent down to set them up for allies who act before the foe. Interestingly enough, the same basic tactical value of a Trick.

Oh, and also, the foe acting first is going to happen purely because of the way initiative come out in a round, so it isn't always a matter of "letting them act first." Like a Trick, a character with Quick or Level-headed who just happens to get a low initiative one round could try it to set up an opponent for the next round, possibly not just for themselves but allies as well.

shinryu wrote:

3) Just to ask for completeness, I'd assume if you're engaged in melee with a prone opponent and you withdraw, he would still get his attack (at a -2 of course)? Or are you no longer considered in melee if he's knocked Prone?

Again, being Prone does not change that. As long as the foe isn't Shaken, they get the attack (though it may be penalized indeed)._________________Clint Black
Savage Worlds Core Rules Brand Manager